Now, you have to remember that most of my experience is creating recipes on a commercial scale - and I have access to rather large smokers (my small smoker will hold 500lbs), so I tend to think in large-scale. I have tried to scale this down some - but to be honest, I've not tried it in batches of less than a hundred pounds!
This recipe can be produced on any barbeque - propane and NG included - just set up for indirect grilling, and watch your internal temperature like a hawk (with a real thermometer, not the thing in the hood on the grill). If using propane, I find tossing a couple of lit briquettes right in the smoke-box helps to keep things copacetic. Don't have a smoke-box? Simply make a packet out of tin-foil, fill with your favourite woodchips, and go.
I should note that I like to use a mix of both wet and dry chips, usually at about 3:1; and tend to soak my chips in fruit-juice or wine. I also like to include a water-pan when smoking on a grill; the moisture helps the nitrates penetrate the protein (more smoke flavour).
You will need:
10lbs salmon fillet, boned and cubed (1"x1"x1") or cut into strips (1"x1"x5")
Brine:
3 cups brown sugar
2 cups Maple Syrup (not the funky stuff in a bottle shaped like a lady, either...)
2 cups Kosher salt (sea-salt works too)
2 cup water
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Ground Pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
(optional) hot-sauce to taste
(optional) 2 tbsp chili flake
Glaze:
1 cup Maple Syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
Mix all ingredients (except for salmon) into a thick paste (or brine). Layer fish and brine in large casserole dishes, ensuring fish is covered. Refrigerate for 24 hours, mixing things up every few hours to ensure the brine penetrates evenly.
Remove from brine and allow to air-dry for 8-10 hours (cooling racks for baking work well for this).
Prepare your smoker (or bbq) to an internal temp of 165f; run the salmon (without smoke) for fourty-five minutes; then load the smoke-box with your favourite wood (I would suggest a mixture of Red Cedar and Sugar Maple) for two hours.
Baste fish with glaze, then back into the smoker for another hour and a half to set.
Enjoy.
This recipe can be produced on any barbeque - propane and NG included - just set up for indirect grilling, and watch your internal temperature like a hawk (with a real thermometer, not the thing in the hood on the grill). If using propane, I find tossing a couple of lit briquettes right in the smoke-box helps to keep things copacetic. Don't have a smoke-box? Simply make a packet out of tin-foil, fill with your favourite woodchips, and go.
I should note that I like to use a mix of both wet and dry chips, usually at about 3:1; and tend to soak my chips in fruit-juice or wine. I also like to include a water-pan when smoking on a grill; the moisture helps the nitrates penetrate the protein (more smoke flavour).
You will need:
10lbs salmon fillet, boned and cubed (1"x1"x1") or cut into strips (1"x1"x5")
Brine:
3 cups brown sugar
2 cups Maple Syrup (not the funky stuff in a bottle shaped like a lady, either...)
2 cups Kosher salt (sea-salt works too)
2 cup water
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Ground Pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
(optional) hot-sauce to taste
(optional) 2 tbsp chili flake
Glaze:
1 cup Maple Syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
Mix all ingredients (except for salmon) into a thick paste (or brine). Layer fish and brine in large casserole dishes, ensuring fish is covered. Refrigerate for 24 hours, mixing things up every few hours to ensure the brine penetrates evenly.
Remove from brine and allow to air-dry for 8-10 hours (cooling racks for baking work well for this).
Prepare your smoker (or bbq) to an internal temp of 165f; run the salmon (without smoke) for fourty-five minutes; then load the smoke-box with your favourite wood (I would suggest a mixture of Red Cedar and Sugar Maple) for two hours.
Baste fish with glaze, then back into the smoker for another hour and a half to set.
Enjoy.
